The Today's Girl Youth Organization will hold a preliminary pageant in Murchison on Saturday, November 15, 2008, at Murchison ISD cafetorium. Girls between the ages of 0 and 18 are invited to compete in six different age divisions. Girls who are awarded a title in the local preliminary will be eligible to attend the Texas State Today's Girl Finals, to be held in June at the Southfork Hotel in Plano. The national finals will be held in late July.

In conjunction with the pageant, the girls will collect teddy bears for "Teddy Bears for Troopers." The bears are distributed throughout the state and placed into the Texas State Troopers' patrol cars for use in crisis situations. Teddy Bears for Troopers has collected over 1,200 bears for troopers and other police organizations.

The competition divisions include Today's Baby (0-3), Today's Doll (4-6), Today's Miss (7-9), Today's Junior (10-12), Today's Teen (13- 15), and Today's Girl (16-18). Girls compete in party dress/ evening gown, casual wear, interview, beauty, and talent, not to exceed three minutes. The younger age divisions through age 6 are not required to present a talent. Participants can enter the beauty competition only if they have not yet developed a performance talent.

All participants in the Today's Girl Youth Organization are required to complete 8 hours of community service work each year. Today's Girl is a certifying organization for the President's Volunteer Service Award. Girls who perform at least 50 hours of community service activity are awarded the bronze award, and a silver and gold award is also available at various activity levels. Today's Girls logged over 10,800 volunteer hours during the 2006-2007 competition year.

Today's Girl is a program for young ladies that provides guidance for the development of tomorrow's leaders. Our goal is to offer a positive environment which allows girls to develop poise, self-confidence and character. The Today's Girl Organization encourages a familial atmosphere and our participants are active in their communities, perform at various events and enjoy making new friends. Today's Girl is a scholarship-based program which encourages the development of talent, academic achievement, and awareness of the need to improve their social environment through community service. Over $5,000 in educational scholarships were awarded last year.

For information and an entry form for this competition, call Director Julie Lightfoot at 903-852-3812 or 903-216- 3510, or email questions to b9shr@aol.com.

Additional information and a schedule of activities is available on the organization's website at www.txtodaysgirlonline.com.